Government needs to watch every baby girl: NCPCR

New Delhi: Reacting to the shocking incident of a father critically injuring his three-month-old daughter in Bangalore, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Monday said the government needs to watch "every" baby girl in the country.

Shanta Sinha, chairperson of NCPCR, described the incident as "shocking" and said an inquiry will be conducted.

"Really it`s shocking, alarming...the man has to be booked for attempting to murder the child," Sinha said.

Three-month-old baby girl Afreen has been battling for life in a city hospital in Bangalore, where she was admitted with a severely injured head and bite marks on several parts of the body.

Her mother, Reshma Bhanu, said the baby`s father Farooq tried to kill her as he was angry about having a daughter and not a son.

The hospital authorities said the baby`s condition was critical and she was suffering from a haemorrhage.
"We will certainly call for an inquiry... but I think somewhere the government has to keep a watch on every girl born," said Sinha.

Referring to the incident in Rajasthan, where a newborn baby girl was abandoned by two couples fighting over a baby boy, Sinha said "...some are denying they had a girl... There is an all pervasive atmosphere that does not welcome a girl`s arrival".

"We must acknowledge that a girl`s life is precarious and make sure every girl born is watched by some local designated authority".

The chairperson added that the integrated child development scheme (ICDS) and Anganwadi workers should chip in and counsel the parents of girl child to avoid such incidents.
"It should be found if the ICDS ever contacted the baby, if the family was given counselling by the local anganwadi centre..." she said. "They should move immediately when a girl is born."